Material comminution apparatus



g- 1969 T. c. R. SHEPHERD 3,463,405

MATERIAL COMMINUTION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 26, 1969 T. c. R. SHEPHERD 3,463,405

MATERIAL COMMINUTION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,463,405 MATERIAL COMMINUTION APPARATUS Thomas Cropper Ryley Shepherd, Bridstow, England, assignor to Peter Scott Shepherd, Bn'dstow, England Filed Feb. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 618,264 Claims priority, application G/rzgt Britain, Feb. 10, 1966,

9 Int. Cl. B02c 7/14, 23/02 US. Cl. 241-36 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention concerns improvements relating to material comminution apparatus, for example waste disposal apparatus, of the kind wherein the waste passes through a receptacle of hopper or other form for passage downwardly to a comminutor having an electric driving motor and thence to drain or other collection means.

According to the invention, there is provided a material comminution apparatus wherein the material passes through a receptacle for passage downwardly to a comminutor having an electric driving motor and then to a drain, said receptacle having an upper inlet opening and a lower outlet opening. The apparatus further comprises a platform, means for locating the platform in a predetermined position in the receptacle and for displacing the platform from said predetermined position in which predetermined position the platform extends only partly across the receptacle at one side thereof to leave a material discharge gap at the other side oflset from the inlet opening, the platform being adapted to receive the material thereon for discharge over an edge of the platform into the material discharge gap for comminution. Switch means is connected with the motor circuit, and means is provided for automatically operating the switch means to open the motor circuit when the platform is displaced from said predetermined position.

Advantageously the switch means is magnetically operated and comprises a magnetic proximity switch located outside the receptacle and the means for operating the switch comprises a member attached to the platform magnetically to operate the switch as aforesaid.

Preferably the platform is located at a level below the inlet opening, and the latter has a moveable cover.

The cover may be hingedly mounted along an axis lying nearly vertically above and parallel with the material discharge edge of the platform.

Preferably the receptacle is of downwardly converging frusto-conical hopper form.

An embodiment of apparatus according to the invention is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical axial section of the receptacle and associated parts,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of same, part cut-away,

FIG. 3 illustrates a detail of the platform location, being a section on the line III-III of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a general view of the apparatus of this invention.

3,463,405 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 The apparatus shown comprises a receptacle 1 of downwardly converging frusto-conical form, with an upper inlet opening 2 and a lower outlet opening 3, which leads down to a comminutor generally indicated at 21. The comminutor 21 comprises a housing 22 secured to receptacle to depend therefrom. An electric driving motor 23 in housing 22 drives a rotor 24 rotating within a stationary ring of teeth 25. The waste entering the top of housing 22 is comminuted between driven motor 24 and teeth 25 and the comminuted waste is discharged to drain on to a collecting means through pipe 26. Motor 23 is connectable by lines 27 to a supply 28 of electricity through a manual switch 29 as later more fully described. A platform 4 is removably and displacably located in the receptacle at a level below the inlet opening, and has the plan of a major segment of the corresponding circular cross-section of the receptacle. The location is by means of conical studs 5 fixed to the underside of the platform near the peripheral edge and to one side of a diameter D, which rest onto similar studs 6, fixed in the receptacle wall, to the side of the studs 5 remote from the diameter; also an upturned handle portion 7 of the platform has an opening to be received on to a peg 8 projecting from the receptacle wall, in a vertical plane at right angles to that containing diameter D. A discharge edge 9 of the platform may be inclined slightly upwards from the generally horizontal plane of the platform, which extends only partly across the receptacle at one side thereof to leave a discharge gap 10 at the other side.

A magnetically operated switch means comprises a magnetic proximity switch 11 located outside the receptacle; a magnet 12 is attached to the underside of the platform in the handle region. The switch 11 is connected in the motor circuit in series with switch 29 through lines 30 and is automatically operated to open the circuit whenever the platform is not safely located in the position shown.

The inlet opening 2 is offset from the discharge gap 10 extending only above the platform and not above the discharge gap 10, and a cover 13 with handle 14 is hingedly mounted at 15 from a closure plate 16 along an axis lying nearly vertically above and parallel with the discharge edge 9 of the platform. The cover and plate together constitute a circular assembly surmounting an upper flange 17 of the receptacle and fixed to same and to annular supporting panelling 18 of the apparatus by fasteners 19 which may be of known releasable type.

In use, for example in a kitchen or catering establish ment, the cover is opened and waste, for example food from dirty dishes, vegetable parings, tea leaves, and so on, is tipped on to the platform. If any undesirable objects such as cutlery or other hard articles fall into the receptacle, these are prevented from passing down to and damaging or otherwise interfering with the comminutor action, and may be easily lifted out, before the waste is discharged from the platform down to the comminutor. If the platform is not safely located to ensure this cutlery saving action, the comminutor motor cannot be started by the usual separate main control switch.

Another important advantage is that with the platform safely in place, there is no direct passage by which a person might thrust their hand and arm, or a ram 01' the like, down towards the comminutor, with consequent danger of personal injury or damage to the comminutor. For such passage, the platform must first be removed or improperly located, which automatically opens the motor circuit. Also, the arrangement is such that the cover and receptacle inlet are shielded wholly or to a great extent against matter which may be thrown upwardly during comminution.

The platform may be of impervious plate form, or possibly of a relatively fine grid or other perforated form.

The waste can be discharged from the platform by displacing the waste laterally over the discharge edge, or possibly by lifting the platform handle to displace and tilt the platform about the pivot axis defined by the location studs.

The platform could be suitably inclined in any direction instead of being generally horizontal.

A nozzle 20 or the like may be fixed in the receptacle wall above the platform for feed of water or other liquid through pipe 31 to wash down the platform, e.g. automatically each time the comminutor is started for a predetermined period; this may be the same predetermined period during which the comminutor is kept in operation by the usual time switch after starting. The water feed may be combined with one or more other water feeds which may assist operation or cleansing of the comminutor in per se known manner. Such water feeds may be direct from a mains supply with valve operation, or from a pump which can be driven by the comminutor motor.

A main control switch may be associated with the cover to start operation of the comminutor, when the cover is closed, for a period determined by the time switch, and to stop such operation when the cover is opened or opened beyond a predetermined extent.

The receptacle and associated parts can be incorporated in a new machine, or possibly supplied as a replacement or attachment assembly for existing machines.

In the arrangement of the drawings the magnet 12 may be replaced by a ferrous metal body, the hopper being of non-magnetic material and a magnet being incorporated in switch 11, the magnet being actuated upon proximity of the ferrous metal 'body.

I claim:

1. A material comminution apparatus wherein the material passes through a receptacle for passage downwardly to a comminutor having an electric driving motor and then to a drain, said receptacle having an upper inlet opening and a lower outlet opening, comprising:

a platform; i

means for locating said platform in a predetermined position in the receptacle and for displacing said platform from said predetermined position in which predetermined position the platform extends only partly across the receptacle at one side thereof to leave a material discharge gap at the other side thereof offset from the inlet opening, and in which predetermined position said platform is adapted to receive the material thereon for discharge over an edge of the platform into the material discharge gap for comminution;

switch means coupled to the motor circuit; and

means for automatically operating said switch means to open the motor circuit when said platform is displaced from said predetermined position.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switch means is magnetically operated and comprises a magnetic proximity switch located outside said receptacle and wherein said means for operating said switch means comprises a member attached to the platform magnetically to operate the switch.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said platform is located at a level below said inlet opening and wherein said inlet opening is provided with a movable cover.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said cover is hingedly mounted along an axis lying nearly vertically above and substantially parallel with the material-discharge edge of the platform.

References Cited UNITED srATEs PATENTS 2,750,122 6/1956 Quast 24l-36 X 2,753,121 7/1956 Elfenbein 241-325 3,323,728 6/1967 Shepherd 241-36 FOREIGN PATENTS 824,045 11/1937 France.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner D. G. KELLY, Assistant Examiner 

